Unlike the large number of people who spend their professional lives seated at a desk and looking at a computer, professional massage therapists and bodyworkers have the benefit of being up and about as they provide sessions to clients throughout each work day. While this can bring benefits, such as improved fitness and fewer of the postural issues associated with sitting and using a computer, the fact that manual therapy is a physical profession can have potential drawbacks, as well.
Essentially, these drawbacks could be summed up in one word: burnout. Of course, the definition of this phrase can vary from person to person and there are certainly different levels and forms of exhaustion, with burnout at the extreme end. Knowing the risks of working in such a physical profession day in and day out, it is important that professional massage therapists and bodyworkers take heed of any early signs of fatigue or budding pain patterns—and take action to alleviate those issues.
One fantastic way to take steps toward preventing burnout and staying passionate about your career is by choosing home-based continuing education classes that can help reduce the physical demands of your daily work. By selecting a CE program you can complete from the comfort of home, you can conserve valuable time and energy. A smart starting point might be a home-based continuing education course on the topic of proper body mechanics for the professional massage therapist. Taking a refresher course on this important subject may not only help you remember the details of techniques you learned long ago, but also show you whole new perspectives on proper body mechanics.
You may be able to find a variety of high-quality home-based continuing education classes on the topic of body mechanics, and you may wish to consider taking several of these CE courses. After all, it is no secret that learning to position and use your body in the most efficient ways within the session room is crucial to conserving energy and preventing pain patterns. Once you have completed these courses, or if you feel confident you have mastered the concept of proper body mechanics, then it may be time to look toward other home-based continuing education classes that can help conserve your energy.
For example, you may wish to seek out a CE program that will allow you to learn the basics of reiki, which you could then weave in to your session-room routines and also offer as a stand-alone service. If you find you enjoy the practice of reiki, you could then pursue more and more advanced home-based continuing education classes on this topic in order to gain an even higher level of skill. The beauty of using CE to learn a skill such as reiki is that this form of energy work allows you to offer your clients a valuable service and at the same time gives your body a break from the more intense work of massage therapy.